Inside New Business with Jenny Mckenna

Jul 16, 2018

Our summer internship program is back, which means a new batch of talent from across the globe have joined us in the Big Apple for 10-weeks of work and play. Interns at Y&R New York are immersed in the advertising world, doing real work for real clients, with mentors to help along the way. These interns aren’t chasing coffee (except for themselves of course). In the following weeks, our Intern Insider series will highlight experiences and insights from interns in Account Management, New Business, BAV, Strategy, and Creative.

Third time’s the charm right? Right. Jenny Mckenna, returns to Y&R for a third round of internships. She first joined Y&R as in Account Management, later joining Y&R Headquarters in the office of Global CEO David Sable, and this year she returns with the New Business team. When she isn't working, Jenny is jetting between classes as she closes out her final year as an Advertising and Marketing major at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

1. What are some ways you adapted to Y&R’s internship?

I’ve had an internship every semester of my college career. I started in fashion, but it just wasn't for me. It wasn't glamorous; the day-to-day was soul-sucking, so coming here was awesome because everyone has a down-to-earth personality. It was a complete 180. It’s nice to be here at Y&R with so many people in such a fun environment.

2. Could you describe your initial experience compared to how you are feeling now?

I’m a returning intern, so my first internship was in Account Management. It's different compared to now since I started in the fall and only came in two days a week. There were only about three other interns compared to the 43 we have this year. I ended up working on projects with other departments, and a lot of things I did here required me to be proactive.

Because of my experience at Y&R I am prepared to go into the real world and be a great worker. Now I can drive things forward.

3. Interns are typically balling on a budget, how do you squeeze as much as you can out of your money?

I try to walk everywhere because transportation is expensive and I don’t have a refillable MetroCard. I used to live off 2 Bro’s Pizza because it's only a dollar!

4. Y&R’s mission is to “resist the usual,” tell us how you plan to use that mission after your internship?

A lot of my personal brand is having fun and being happy. I want to bring a sort of excitement into the office space. I plan to strike up fun conversations and be a fun spirit.

From Hourly to Salary: A Word from Interns that Made the Cut

Olivia Rothermel is a current Account Executive but started as an intern in the trenches of New Business. During her internship time here she learned the ins and outs of going after new clients for the agency, and how New Business builds campaigns quickly, from the ground up. Her strong work ethic and bubbly personality made her a great fit for the agency, and the agency a great fit for her. She now works in Account Management, so she has great insight for those curious about both departments.

1. What's the biggest difference between your internship experience and your current standing?

During my internship, I was a new business intern, which meant I was not assigned a client and was at the whim of the new business department. I worked on everything and anything— working on pitches, did lots of research for either prospective companies that we wanted to go after, or trying to figure out from a Y&R perspective, how do we improve our culture, how do we get different kinds of business in because the company we keep as kind of the company that we seek. What I do now, assigned a client, I work only on tech, all of my research is B-to-B focus, not even a consumer focus, so it is very different from what I did as a new business intern but happily different.

I love the people and culture here. The ideas and creativity bred here are top-notch, that's what sold me on coming back from my intern experience many moons ago.

2. What made you come back for a full-time position?

I wanted a challenge. I discovered that I thrive off of craziness and disorder and making the disorder organized. I crave that environment and was sold on the agency life ever since. Working with people from different backgrounds who approached things in different ways was such a great experience. I love the people and culture here. The ideas and creativity bred at Y&R are top-notch. That's what sold me on coming back from my intern experience many moons ago.

3. Y&R’s mission is to “resist the usual,” tell us how you utilize that in your daily routine?

To question what you hear every day is the only way to survive, not just at Y&R but in New York. Here, everybody's trying to sell you something. Everybody's trying to tell you that this is the best of the best and nothing can even compare, but know that usual psychobabble is what you have to resist.

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @youngrubicam to see what our interns are doing all summer long. Next week's Intern Insider feature will be Strategy, so stay tuned! If you missed last week's edition, learn about Account Management here.